Needle stabilizer



Oct. 26, 1954 s. J. KETTERER 2,692,569

NEEDLE STABILIZER Filed Sept. 14, 1949 2 Shee'tS-Shet l QT To PNE/5.

0d. 26, 1954 s, 1 KETTERER 2,692,569

NEEDLE STABILIZER Filed Sept. 14, '1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct.26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NEEDLE STABILIZER Stanley J.Ketterer, St. Louis, Mo.

Application September 14, 1949, Serial No. 115,589

Claims.

The present invention relates generally to stabilizing devices, and moreparticularly to a needle stabilizer adapted to be attached to a sewingmachine.

In general, the present invention comprises an elongated stabilizermember which includes a shaft disposable against a needle bar and havinga formed lower end in engagement with the needle of the sewing machine.At its upper end, the stabilizer is linked to the same crank stud towhich the upper end of the needle bar is linked so that there isrelative reciprocal movement between the stabilizer and the needle baras the needle bar is reciprocated in its well known sewing action. Therelative reciprocal movement between the stabilizer and needle bar issuch that, at the lowest point of the needle bar, the stabilizer is inits highest position in relation thereto so that the needle engagingportion of the stabilizer contacts the upper portion of the needle whenthe needle is at the bottom of its stroke. Similarly, as the needle israised on the upstroke, the needle engaging portion of the stabilizer,even though being raised, in eiect is moved toward the free end of theneedle, the over-all travel vertically of the needle bar and needlebeing greater than that of the stabilizer.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a needlestabilizer which is mounted in respect to the needle and its supportingneedle bar to eiectively dampen vibrations of the needle in sewingoperations.

Another object is to provide a novel needle stabilizer which engages theneedle of a sewing machine during the downward and upward strokes andwhich is moved with and relative to the needle during the sewingoperation to eliminate vibrations, thereby rendering the needle moreaccurate in stitching and reducing the needle breakage caused fromvibration to a minimum.

Another object is to provide a needle stabilizer which may be readilyadapted to various types of sewing machines to substantially eliminatevibration in the needle thereof during the sewing operation;

Another object is to provide a needle stabilizer which acts as a pilotfor and braces the needle as it penetrates work, thereby keeping it fromdeilecting caused by various materials;

Another object is to provide a needle stabilizer which moves with andrelative to the needle and needle bar of the sewing machine, and isdisposed out of engagement with the needle at the uppermost positions ofthe needle and the stabilizer;

Other objects are to provide a novel needle stabilizer which positivelyeliminates dangerous and costly vibration in a sewing machine needle,which is sturdy in construction and readily applicable to sewingmachines, which does not interfere with any of the normal operations ofthe sewing machine to which it is connected, which is simple inconstruction and requires minimum maintenance to keep it in effectivevibration dampening operation, and which eiiiciently performs itsfunction of reducing vibration in a sewing machine needle during thesewing operation to a negligible minimum.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages are apparent from thefollowing description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical fragmentary cross-sectional view through the headof a sewing machine to which is connected a needle stabilizerconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention,the needle bar being shown in the uppermost position of movement;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, additional details being shown insection, the needle bar being shown in the lowermost position ofmovement;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the needle of the sewing machine and theneedle engaging portion of the stabilizer in the relative positions ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view on substantially the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 3, and illustrating therelationship of the needle engaging portion of the stabilizer with someneedles when the latter are in lowermost positions of movement;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional View on substantiallythe line 6--6 of Fig. 2, illustrating the relationship of the stabilizerand needle bar links when the stabilizer and needle bar are in theirlowermost positions;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the relationship of thestabilizer and needle bar links at ninety degrees rotation of theconnection of the needle bar link from the position shown in Fig. 6 onthe upstroke of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 6 and 7, illustrating the relationshipof the stabilizer and needle bar links with the stabilizer and needlebar in uppermost positions, the connection of the needle bar link beingat one hundred and eighty degrees from the position of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 6 through 8, illustrating therelationship of the stabilizer and needle bar links when the connectionof the 3 needle bar link is at two hundred and seventy degrees from theposition of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view on substantiallythe line lU-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is an exploded view, partially in section, showing the upper endof the stabilizer, the stabilizer link, and the crank stud;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lower end of thestabilizer;

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view on substantially the line|3-I3 of Fig. '12; and

Fig. 14 is a front elevational view of the thread eyelet and lowerstabilizer retainer.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, 28indicates a needle stabilizer shown in operative relationship with aneedle bar 22 and needle 24. The needle bar 22 is mounted forreciprocation in guide bosses 26 and 28 forming part of a housing 30 ofa sewing machine 32, a portion of which is illustrated in the drawings.A removable cover 34 closes the end of the housing 30.

rPhe needle bar 22 is of round cross section, clearly shown in Fig. 10,and includes a channel 3G opening at one side which receives the mainbody 68 of the stabilizer 20 for relative reciprocable movement.

A combined thread eyelet and lower stabilizer retainer 40 is secured tothe lower end of the needle bar 22 by a suitable setcrew 42, which alsoengages the shank portion 21 of the needle 24 to maintain it in positionin the end of the needle bar 22. Thread 44 is fed through openings 46and 4l in the eyelet retainer 40 to thread portion 25 of the needle 24,as is clear from Figs. 3, l and 14.

Toward its upper end, the needle bar 22 is securelg.T engaged by thesplit head 49 of a split clamp 48 having a shaft extension 52 disposedin a bearing 52 formed at the lower end of a needle bar connecting link54 having an upper bearing portion 56 rotatably mounted on the main body58 of a crank stud 60. The main body B is secured by a setscrew S2 in anoff-center opening 63 in a driven hub 64 secured to the end of a drivenshaft 66 which forms part of the sewing machine 32. The split clam 48also serves as an upper retainer for the stabilizer 28.

The crank stud 88 is formed at its free end as a plate 58, to which issecured in radially offset relation to the axis of rotation of the crankstud 68 a threaded projection l0. Between the plate 68 and the main body58 of the crank stud 88 is a reduced portion 'i 2 which is thus formedto accommodate conventional take-up mechanism 14 forming part of thesewing machine 32.

At its upper end, the stabilizer 20 includes a right angularly bentportion l which receives a bearing sleeve E8 disposed in an opening 8Gat one end of a stabilizer link 82. At the other end of the stabilizerlink 32 is a frusto-conical shaped opening 84 which receives airusto-conical shaped member 86 having a threaded central opening whichthreadedly engages the projection lli, thereby connecting the stabilizerlink 22 to the plate 6B formed at the end of the crank stud 60.

At its lower end, the stabilizer 26 includes a reduced needle engagingportion 88, the free end of 'which includes a channel 9D (Figs. 12 and13), the lower edge of which is adapted to engage the needle 2S in themanner illustrated in Fig. 3 during the stitching action of the needle24. Hence, there is, in effect, a line engagement between the lower endof the channel and the needle 24 which reduces friction. The free end ofthe reduced portion 88 is arcuate as shown. At the juncture of the mainbody 38 and the reduced portion 88 is a slanting shoulder 92 for apurpose described below.

Operation It is manifest from the foregoing description taken with thedrawings that the channel 90 at Athe lower free end of the reducedportion 88 of the stabilizer 20 engages the thread portion 25 of theneedle 24 during the major portion of the stitching operation. For someneedles 24, the channel 98 of the stabilizer 20 engages the shankportion 2'1 during the extreme lower increments of movement of theneedle 24, the slanting shoulder 92 assuring a ready return of thestabilizer 2D to engagement of the channel 90 with the thread portion25, as is clear from Fig. 5. The reduced portion 38 of the stabilizer 20is of lesser depth than the channel 36 in the needle bar 22, hence, thelower end of the stabilizer 20 may move outwardly to the position shownin Fig. 5 when necessary.

The relative vertical movement between the stabilizer 28 and the needlebar 22 and its needle 24 is clearly shown by an inspection of Figs. 6through 9 taken with Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. When the needle bar 22 is inits lowermost position, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6, the engagement ofthe channel 88 with the needle 24 is at a near maximum distance from thepoint of the needle 24.

Similarly, when the needle bar 22 is in its uppermost position, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 8, the engagement `of the channel 90 with theneedle 24 is at a near minimum distance from the point of the needle 24.Intermediate relationships are manifest from an inspection of Figs. 7and 9.

Manifestly, therefore, the engaging portion of the stabilizer 20maintains contact with the needle '211 during the sewing operation,which eliminates vibration and insures an 'accurate stroke of the needle24. The point of engagement of the stabilizer 28 with the needle 2d issuch, as is indicated in the preceding paragraph, that there is nointerference with the needle 24 by the stabilizer 2H during sewing.

The particular shape of the channel 90 may be varied, although the crosssection should be such as to prevent movement of the needle 24 in threedirections in order to insure proper damping action. The lower vend ofthe stabilizer 2E) should engage the needle 2-4 substantiallycontinuously during the major portions of the down and up strokes of theneedle 24 for ybest results in :obtaining accurate stitching and ineliminating needle vibration with resulting breakage.

It is manifest that there has been provided a needle stabilizer devicewhich fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings have been givenby way of illustration and example. It is to be understood that changesin form, substitution of equivalent elements, and rearrangement of partsthat will be manifest to those skilled in the art are contemplated aswithin the scope of the present invention, which is limited vonly by theclaims which follow.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination, a needle bar, a needle connected to the lower endthereof, said needle having a needle portion and a shank portion .ofdifferent diameters, a channel in one side of said needle bar, a needlestabilizer bar mounted in said needle bar channel for both longitudinalreciprocative and lateral oscillative movement, means maintaining saidneedle stabilizer bar in said channel, said needle stabilizer barincluding a portion in continuous engagement with said needle includingalternate engagement with said needle portion and said shank portion toprevent vibration of the needle during stitching, means forreciprocating said needle bar, and means for reciprocating saidstabilizer bar simultaneously with and relative to said needle bar.

2. In combination, a needle bar, a needle connected to the lower endthereof, a channel in one side of said needle bar, a needle stabilizerbar mounted in said needle bar channel :for ree ciprocative movement,means maintaining said needle stabilizer bar in said channel, saidneedle stabilizer bar including a portion in engagement with said needleto prevent vibration thereof during stitching, non-resilient means forreciprocating said needle bar, non-resilient means for reciprocatingsaid stabilizer bar simultaneously with an relative to said needle bar,and means including mutually eccentric dual crank means for coordinatingsaid two reciprocating means to dispose the contact point of saidstabilizer bar needle engaging portion and the free end of the needle atnear minimum spread when said needle bar is at the top of its stroke toprovide maximum damping of needle vibration and to dispose the same twoelements at near maximum spread when said needle bar is at the bottom ofits stroke to insure freedom of interference by said stabilizer bar institching.

3. A needle stabilizer bar comprising a main body, a needle engagingportion at one end of said main body having a channel therein dened by abottom and sloping sides, said channel being adapted to engage a needleto prevent vibration movements in substantially three directions, andmeans providing for oscillatory movement of said stabilizer bar, saidlatter means comprising a reduced depth of said stabilizer bar adjacentthe needle engaging portion thereof.

4. A device for stabilizing a needle, which has coaxial portions ofdifferent diameter, comprising an elongated stabilizer bar having aneedle engaging portion, said needle engaging portion having a channelformed 'therein for slidable engagement alternately with said needleportions of diiierent diameter, means for mounting said stabilizer baradjacent said needle for both longitudinally reciprocal and laterallyoscillatory movement relative thereto, means for effecting saidreciprocal movement, and means engageable with said stabilizer barduring reciprocation thereof for cfecting at least one direction of saidoscillatory movement, another direction of said oscillatory movementbeing effected through said slidable engagement aforementioned.

5. A device for stabilizing a needle, which has coaxial portions ofdiierent diameter, comprising an elongated stabilizer bar having aneedle engaging portion, said needle engaging portion having a channelformed therein for slidable engagement alternately with said needleportions of different diameter, means for mounting said stabilizer baradjacent said needle for both longitudinally reciprocal and laterallyoscillatory movement relative thereto, means for eiecting saidreciprocal movement, and a stabilizer bar retaining member mountedadjacent the needle portion of larger diameter, and a sloping shoulderon said stabilizer bar said sloping shoulder being engageable with saidretaining member for eiecting at least one direction of said oscillatorymovement, another direction of said oscillatory movement being eiectedthrough said slidable engagement aforementioned.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 305,936 Landes Sept. 30, 1884 419,584 Coombs Jan. 14, 1890570,969 Stevenson Nov. 10, 1896 687,777 Parkes Dec. 3, 1901 1,134,528Hansen Apr. 6, 1915 1,408,821 Merrick Mar. 7, 1922 2,003,461 PearsonJune 4, 1935

